Buckeyes Start 2026 at No. 1 In US LBM Coaches Poll
August 4, 2026
Ohio State is the preseason favorite to win the 2026 national title according to the coaches in the US LBM Coaches Poll. The Buckeyes will look to improve from their 12-2 record and quarterfinal playoff appearance from a year ago. Following Ohio State at No. 2 is Oregon. The Ducks ended the 2025 season ranked No. 4 with a 13-2 mark. Georgia starts the season at No. 3 followed by Texas at No. 4 and Notre Dame rounding out the top five.
Last year’s undefeated national champion, the Indiana Hoosiers, come in at No. 6 with 14 first-place votes, the second highest total behind Ohio State’s 38. ACC-member Miami (Fla.) is ranked No. 7 followed by three SEC teams in Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Ole Miss.
Rank School (1st votes) Pts. Prev. 2025 Rec.
1 Ohio State (38) 1,741 6 12-2
2 Oregon (6) 1,637 4 13-2
3 Georgia (7) 1,591 5 12-2
4 Texas (2) 1,544 13 10-3
5 Notre Dame (5) 1,524 11 10-2
6 Indiana (14) 1,522 1 16-0
7 Miami (Fla.) 1,409 2 13-3
8 Texas A&M 1,174 8 11-2
9 Oklahoma 1,104 10 10-3
10 Mississippi 1,096 3 13-2
11 Alabama 1,050 9 11-4
12 Texas Tech 1,034 7 12-2
13 LSU 951 NR 7-6
14 Southern California 838 21 9-4
15 BYU 781 12 12-2
16 Michigan 719 22 9-4
17 Penn State 463 NR 7-6
18 Tennessee 428 NR 8-5
19 Washington 406 NR 9-4
20 SMU 378 NR 9-4
21 Utah 313 14 11-2
22 Iowa 291 17 9-4
23 Clemson 235 NR 7-6
24 Houston 194 19 10-3
25 Missouri 158 NR 8-5
Dropped out: No. 15 Vanderbilt (10-3); No. 16 Virginia (11-3); No. 18 Tulane (11-3); No. 20 James Madison (12-2); No. 23 Navy (11-2); No. 24 Georgia Tech (9-4); No. 25 Illinois (9-4).
Others receiving votes: Louisville (9-4) 153; Florida (4-8) 147; TCU (9-4) 63; Illinois (9-4) 62; Arizona (9-4) 50; South Carolina (4-8) 50; Virginia (11-3) 40; Vanderbilt (10-3) 37; Auburn (5-7) 29; Georgia Tech (9-4) 26; Boise State (9-5) 24; Oklahoma State (1-11) 22; UNLV (10-4) 17; Florida State (5-7) 13; North Carolina State (8-5) 13; Nebraska (7-6) 12; Virginia Tech (3-9) 12; Memphis (8-5) 9; Arizona State (8-5) 8; Duke (9-5) 6; James Madison (12-2) 6; New Mexico (9-4) 4; Pittsburgh (8-5) 4; Navy (11-2) 3; Western Michigan (10-4) 3; San Diego State (9-4) 2; California (7-6) 1; Hawaii (9-4) 1; Jacksonville State (9-5) 1; Kansas State (6-6) 1.
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Ohio State is the preseason favorite to win the 2026 national title according to the coaches in the US LBM Coaches Poll. The Buckeyes will look to improve from their 12-2 record and quarterfinal playoff appearance from a year ago. Following Ohio State at No. 2 is Oregon. The Ducks ended the 2025 season ranked No. 4 with a 13-2 mark. Georgia starts the season at No. 3 followed by Texas at No. 4 and Notre Dame rounding out the top five.
Last year’s undefeated national champion, the Indiana Hoosiers, come in at No. 6 with 14 first-place votes, the second highest total behind Ohio State’s 38. ACC-member Miami (Fla.) is ranked No. 7 followed by three SEC teams in Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Ole Miss.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Pts. | Prev. | 2025 Rec. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio State (38) | 1,741 | 6 | 12-2 | |
| 2 | Oregon (6) | 1,637 | 4 | 13-2 | |
| 3 | Georgia (7) | 1,591 | 5 | 12-2 | |
| 4 | Texas (2) | 1,544 | 13 | 10-3 | |
| 5 | Notre Dame (5) | 1,524 | 11 | 10-2 | |
| 6 | Indiana (14) | 1,522 | 1 | 16-0 | |
| 7 | Miami (Fla.) | 1,409 | 2 | 13-3 | |
| 8 | Texas A&M | 1,174 | 8 | 11-2 | |
| 9 | Oklahoma | 1,104 | 10 | 10-3 | |
| 10 | Mississippi | 1,096 | 3 | 13-2 | |
| 11 | Alabama | 1,050 | 9 | 11-4 | |
| 12 | Texas Tech | 1,034 | 7 | 12-2 | |
| 13 | LSU | 951 | NR | 7-6 | |
| 14 | Southern California | 838 | 21 | 9-4 | |
| 15 | BYU | 781 | 12 | 12-2 | |
| 16 | Michigan | 719 | 22 | 9-4 | |
| 17 | Penn State | 463 | NR | 7-6 | |
| 18 | Tennessee | 428 | NR | 8-5 | |
| 19 | Washington | 406 | NR | 9-4 | |
| 20 | SMU | 378 | NR | 9-4 | |
| 21 | Utah | 313 | 14 | 11-2 | |
| 22 | Iowa | 291 | 17 | 9-4 | |
| 23 | Clemson | 235 | NR | 7-6 | |
| 24 | Houston | 194 | 19 | 10-3 | |
| 25 | Missouri | 158 | NR | 8-5 |
Dropped out: No. 15 Vanderbilt (10-3); No. 16 Virginia (11-3); No. 18 Tulane (11-3); No. 20 James Madison (12-2); No. 23 Navy (11-2); No. 24 Georgia Tech (9-4); No. 25 Illinois (9-4).
Others receiving votes: Louisville (9-4) 153; Florida (4-8) 147; TCU (9-4) 63; Illinois (9-4) 62; Arizona (9-4) 50; South Carolina (4-8) 50; Virginia (11-3) 40; Vanderbilt (10-3) 37; Auburn (5-7) 29; Georgia Tech (9-4) 26; Boise State (9-5) 24; Oklahoma State (1-11) 22; UNLV (10-4) 17; Florida State (5-7) 13; North Carolina State (8-5) 13; Nebraska (7-6) 12; Virginia Tech (3-9) 12; Memphis (8-5) 9; Arizona State (8-5) 8; Duke (9-5) 6; James Madison (12-2) 6; New Mexico (9-4) 4; Pittsburgh (8-5) 4; Navy (11-2) 3; Western Michigan (10-4) 3; San Diego State (9-4) 2; California (7-6) 1; Hawaii (9-4) 1; Jacksonville State (9-5) 1; Kansas State (6-6) 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
